The prostate is a gland in the male urinary system located directly below the bladder and surrounding the urethra. A common urological disorder that some men encounter is enlargement of the prostate due to disease or decreases in hormone production. Generally, the enlarged prostate tends to constrict the urethra resulting in reduced urination flow and/or urine retention.
A medical professional has a number of options to treat a patient suffering from retention caused by the enlargement of the patient's prostate. One option is to perform a surgical procedure that cuts or removes parts of the patient's diseased prostatic tissue (the enlarged section of the prostate). Another option is to insert a device, such as, for example, a stent to facilitate drainage of urine and/or blood from the patient's bladder and urethra.